Wordsmith Craftsman 3rd Edition
Grade 9 through 12
(not compatible with previous editions)


Wordsmith Craftsman: Building Skills

Confidence gained, the young writer tackles practical skills that will be needed throughout life. Again we start with experience: the simple task of taking notes—first on daily tasks, then on lectures and study materials. Outlining, summarizing, and writing business plans are all organizational skills. An extensive section on letter-writing, both personal and business, reinforces communication skills. Part Two builds upon techniques begun in Wordsmith, addressing such principles and problem areas as parallel constructions, making transitions, paragraph organization and selective detail.

Part Three of Wordsmith Craftsman is a master class on The Essay, pulling together thought, organization, logic, personal connection, and style. A well-written essay is rightly considered the mark of an educated, thoughtful man or woman. A student will learn how to apply the TOWER process (Think, Organize, Write, Evaluate, and Rewrite) to a variety of essay types, namely descriptive, narrative, expository, critical, and persuasive. The expository section includes a primer on the all-important first step in writing research papers (which will save a lot of freshman-comp angst later!).

The Appendix includes a handy reproducible form for note-taking and summary-writing, a warning essay about plagiarism, a summary of all the steps for each type of essay (with writing and revision guidelines), and a three-page roundup of common logical fallacies to be avoided (especially when writing persuasive essays).

Letter writing (or any form of everyday written communication), note-taking and outlining, summarizing, and essay writing—whether or not one becomes a writer—are all essential skills to prepare a young adult not only for school but for life.

Sample Pages
Lesson Plan for Wordsmith Craftsman